September Newsletter

Bookings and Recruitment 

So ... it’s a great time to be a chambers member. You’re probably aware that we now have a campaign to promote chambers on social media. This has led to a wider awareness of the benefits of chambers both for practices and potential members. The marketing team over at NB Medical have been working closely with Lauren to target the Yorkshire area. Interestingly good news travels and we are also getting enquires from as far afield as London. 

This translates into more requests for sessions locally from both old and new practices and we are simply unable to keep up with demand. Currently we are only able to fill around half the sessions requested by practices each month.  We already have requests into March 2022 as practices are beginning to plan long term again, after the initial uncertainties and demands of the pandemic.

If you are able to please do add your availability to your calendars and, if you have been hesitating to mention chambers to interested colleagues, now is the time to do so. 

Our website is about to undergo another upgrade and booking a chat to discuss further will be just a click away: www.medicalchambers.org and remember to keep following us on our social media platforms!

New members, News and Saying Goodbye

Please welcome our newest Members: 

Thomas Chiddick, York/Harrogate area – His first session is already booked for 4^th Oct.

Sophie Palmer, York – looking to start work in November.

Great news too for - Lucia Manfredi, York member…Not been with us long but is doing well in her pregnancy and we wish her well.

Goodbye and thanks to Mallika Sampath - one of our longest-standing members in Bradford, she left in the summer to take up a regular post. We will miss her!

Face to face Appointments and Variability

As you know many practices are now open again for direct bookings for F2F appointments. This has led to variation at different sites which most members are able to navigate. But if you are finding expectations are unrealistic, Covid 19 screening questions inadequate or that your session is not complying with the standard times for the different types of patient contacts please do let the admin team know in real time so that a solution can be found.  

And, if your preferences are to only see patients you have triaged yourself, please let admin know so that we can only book you at practices where we know this is the policy.

Certificates 

It’s easy to overlook this but we do need to remind a few members to upload your most recent certificates onto the system. 

Several practices have noticed out of date certificates and, while its reassuring they are being checked, it means extra work for everyone to chase these up one by one.   

We are going to change the system soon to better prompt you when certificates have expired, as our current weekly reminder system is not working. Do let admin know if you are having a particular challenge.

Meetings: Now and in the Future 

Reluctantly we’ve decided to keep the online format for the next six months. We had hoped to go for a mix of real life and online meetings but, with the pandemic subdued but not tamed, it seemed sensible to get through winter before meeting face to face.  

You may also begin to see new members from outside the three Yorkshire groups as we start recruiting elsewhere – these new recruits will be mentored by one of the chambers leads and join us virtually in order to become part of the chamber’s family, with a view to starting their own local groups as things open up.     

This evening, we are happy to welcome three chambers’ members for a discussion prompted by a play about Kate Granger (details below). 

Marie Cohen, Kate Thomas and Hannah Coysh will be present to facilitate the session above during our next Chambers meeting this Thursday 16th Sept from 7pm. They are all Hull and ER Macmillan GPs.

The ‘Hello my name is’ play dramatizes the story of Dr Kate Granger and her husband Chris Pointon before, during and beyond Kate’s cancer diagnosis. They plan to show a recording of the play, performed by 2 professional actors, and then encourage a discussion about the topics encountered. (The suggestion has been given that people may wish to bring a tissue!!).

 Really looking forward to seeing everyone.

Thanks in advance, your colleagues

Chambers Developments 

As well as our marketing in Yorkshire we have been working with Humberside LMC to support locums outside chambers. We also have links with Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire LMCs so it may be that we see new chambers developing in these areas.  Our website is ready for an upgrade and there are more ideas in the pipeline to improve the ImpaxHub system. 

NB Medical: Offer and new link with FourteenFish 

Finally, just to remind you about our exclusive offer from NB Medical:

• NB Medical Appraisal Essentials      
  • Safeguarding & Child Protection
  • Basic Life Support Refresher course including AED
• Complimentary LIVE Webinars
  • Upcoming LIVE 1-hour Hot Topic Clinics
    • Diagnostic Testing and Safety Netting – Tuesday 9th November
    • Cancer & The Impact of Covid – Tuesday 18th January
  • Portfolio of over 20 on-demand 1-hour webinars including:
    • Telephone triage and video consulting
    • Mental Health
    • Diabetes
    • Women’s Health
• Introducing The Green GP Course – Tuesday 12^th October 6-9.30pm
• Free CPD Modules available to try in the NB app and via the NB dashboard:
  • Gender Diversity
  • Bipolar
  • Gout
  • Hypertension
  • Sepsis
  • KISS Quiz – Bipolar Disorder
  • KISS Quiz – Bell’s Palsy
  • KISS Quiz – Knee Pain
• Podcasts presented by Dr Neal Tucker
• Keep it Simple Summaries (KISS)
• Weekly Blog Updates

Also, exciting news, NB Medical now have a direct sync with FourteenFish. FourteenFish offers The Medical Chambers members a 10% discount. Sync your account in the CPD Tracker section of your NB Dashboard and your CPD certificates will seamlessly transfer to your FourteenFish account.

And if you are looking to book an NB course this month why not join Stephanie and our very own Zoe on the new Women’s Health Webinar course on Friday 24th September or if you are looking for a more general update, Simon will be presenting the new Hot Topics GP Update Autumn/Winter Webinar Course on Saturday 25th September. Or even better, subscribe to NB PLUS and you can experience both courses as part of your subscription. All courses can be viewed live or ‘on demand’ from the comfort of your own home/office.

Well, that’s quite a long email, if you are still here, thanks for reading through!!

Take care,

Hester and the Chambers team